Transformers |OT| Transform and Roll Out!

Hello Snake · Apr 28, 2024

My 3 and 5 year old nephews love Transformers, but they only call them Rescue bots. The 3 year old calls him "Ocktimus pwime."

As a kid of the 80s, I like that they're into Transformers. I approve.

AgeEighty · Apr 28, 2024

mrbogus said:
Those are neat.

If they're going that small with re-creating figures with new articulation then any of the G1 line is possible.

I wish that instead of continuing to have the minibots' heads on plates, they could've made that a double hinge where the plate folds all the way to the back and folds out a freestanding head with it. They could even have the back of the plate feature the circle/spare tire from the cartoon backs.

Would it be strictly faithful to the original toys? No, but neither are Prime's new fold-out fists.

mrmoose · Apr 29, 2024

Mindwipe said:
Bumblebee transforms in TF:TM after the rest of the Autobots meet Rodimus in order to drive out of Unicron's eye.

We already have a leaked product listing for a Studio Series 86 Megatron. And the Hasbro design team have said on Instagram that "if" they did one he'd have to turn into a tank before, so it seems like we are basically getting another go at Earthrise Megatron.

Ah right I forgot about that Megatron leak.

Well if he does turn into a tank at least let the robot mode look exactly like the cartoon, we don't need those treads sticking out of his back like Earthrise/robosen.

mrmoose · Apr 29, 2024

AgeEighty said:
I wish that instead of continuing to have the minibots' heads on plates, they could've made that a double hinge where the plate folds all the way to the back and folds out a freestanding head with it. They could even have the back of the plate feature the circle/spare tire from the cartoon backs.

Would it be strictly faithful to the original toys? No, but neither are Prime's new fold-out fists.

Prime's fold out fists don't change the overall look of the toy though, so I get why they kept the plates (but they could give a display option, surely)

AgeEighty · Apr 29, 2024

mrmoose said:
Prime's fold out fists don't change the overall look of the toy though, so I get why they kept the plates (but they could give a display option, surely)

The Matrix chamber does, but yeah that's an option. Maybe an alternate head plate could be too.

I suppose I just think of certain design elements of G1 as things that were only ever engineering compromises that no kid actually enjoyed.

Like if they ever do Ironhide and Ratchet I would also hope they include heads, at least as an option.

mrmoose · Apr 29, 2024

AgeEighty said:
The Matrix chamber does, but yeah that's an option. Maybe an alternate head plate could be too.

I suppose I just think of certain design elements of G1 as things that were only ever engineering compromises that no kid actually enjoyed.

Like if they ever do Ironhide and Ratchet I would also hope they include heads, at least as an option.

But they would absolutely still turn into those headless midgets on bases, because otherwise what's the point? :)

AgeEighty · Apr 29, 2024

mrmoose said:
But they would absolutely still turn into those headless midgets on bases, because otherwise what's the point? :)

Oh of course. They'd be the same thing the existing Missing Link models are: the G1 toys, optimized.

Cow Mengde · Apr 30, 2024

Hello Snake said:
My 3 and 5 year old nephews love Transformers, but they only call them Rescue bots. The 3 year old calls him "Ocktimus pwime."

As a kid of the 80s, I like that they're into Transformers. I approve.

Awwww, that's cute. Rescue Bots was a pretty decent show. G1 is fully available on Youtube if you want to get them into more Transformers. There's also Beast Wars and the other shows all available for free legally.

Yams · Apr 30, 2024

Rescue Bots seemed to have pretty popular with kids

Hello Snake · Apr 30, 2024

Cow Mengde said:
Awwww, that's cute. Rescue Bots was a pretty decent show. G1 is fully available on Youtube if you want to get them into more Transformers. There's also Beast Wars and the other shows all available for free legally.

Thanks. I once showed the younger one some clips of Bumblebee from the Michael Bay movies, and his mind was blown but eventually he got scared so I stopped it.

mrmoose · Apr 30, 2024

It is a bit jarring going from Rescue Bots to depressed (sometimes racist) murder machines, for sure. ;)

Cow Mengde · Apr 30, 2024

I'd say even the 86 movie might be a bit too intense for them.

mrmoose · Apr 30, 2024

Cow Mengde said:
I'd say even the 86 movie might be a bit too intense for them.

Which is the reason it failed in the box office, which I'm still sad about. But if you were weaned on the comic book then it was no big deal.

Cow Mengde · May 2, 2024

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/wLtkzn04G_w?si=avEZ7BKEdOX0ITe_

Keldroc · May 2, 2024

TransArts continuing to do God's work.

Juraash · May 2, 2024

This feels like it might be their best work yet and their most extensively designed figure. Rattrap aside, I feel like they haven't had to come up with a ton of their own magic to get the Transmetal designs to work. The original toys and the show models did most of the heavy lifting. Dinobot though is markedly different from his original toy and it looks really great. Also, all those wonderful ratchets means he shouldn't be a floppy mess in 6 months, which is what quickly happened to my original back in the day.

MikeProtagonist · May 2, 2024

Great, now we're going to have third parties tripping over themselves making their own Missing Link editions of every character before Takara gets around to them, and collectors whining that Takara are leaving money on the table by not immediately pushing Missing Link Longtooth and Missing Link Guzzle onto the market.

Characters like Prowl, Soundwave and Jazz should be pretty high on the list for Takara, I'd think. Those toys are already great, some articulation will make them epic.

Billfisto · May 2, 2024

Selfishly, I want a Missing Link Brawn / Outback. Give those gangly legs a bend.

mrmoose · May 2, 2024

MikeProtagonist said:
Great, now we're going to have third parties tripping over themselves making their own Missing Link editions of every character before Takara gets around to them, and collectors whining that Takara are leaving money on the table by not immediately pushing Missing Link Longtooth and Missing Link Guzzle onto the market.

Characters like Prowl, Soundwave and Jazz should be pretty high on the list for Takara, I'd think. Those toys are already great, some articulation will make them epic.

I would think whatever stops them from making a Masterpiece Jazz would stop them from making a Missing Link one, no? But yeah Datsuns and jets would make for some easy repaints.

Keldroc · May 2, 2024

mrmoose said:
I would think whatever stops them from making a Masterpiece Jazz would stop them from making a Missing Link one, no? But yeah Datsuns and jets would make for some easy repaints.

Not unless they're going to officially license the Missing Links, which doesn't seem likely. The G1 molds are not licensed cars.

AgeEighty · May 2, 2024

Keldroc said:
Not unless they're going to officially license the Missing Links, which doesn't seem likely. The G1 molds are not licensed cars.

Supposedly C-03 Bumblebee is licensed by VW. But of course Cliffjumper is not licensed.

mute · May 3, 2024

Keldroc said:
Not unless they're going to officially license the Missing Links, which doesn't seem likely. The G1 molds are not licensed cars.

I guess I was under the impression that the G1 toys weren't licensed because someone thought they could get away with it, not because the toys were dissimilar to real vehicles. I'm not sure they could just sell G1 Jazz/Sideswipe/etc. today without talking to those companies first, but I imagine in the decades since it has had to come up, when actually licensing more recent toys.

MikeProtagonist · May 3, 2024

Keldroc said:
Not unless they're going to officially license the Missing Links, which doesn't seem likely. The G1 molds are not licensed cars.

G1 Jazz has been re-released, so there might not be the same issues as with a Masterpiece.

Cow Mengde · May 3, 2024

MikeProtagonist said:
Great, now we're going to have third parties tripping over themselves making their own Missing Link editions of every character before Takara gets around to them, and collectors whining that Takara are leaving money on the table by not immediately pushing Missing Link Longtooth and Missing Link Guzzle onto the market.

Characters like Prowl, Soundwave and Jazz should be pretty high on the list for Takara, I'd think. Those toys are already great, some articulation will make them epic.

Missing Link Ironhide and Ratchet.

MikeProtagonist · May 3, 2024

Cow Mengde said:
Missing Link Ironhide and Ratchet.

Missing Head Ironhide and Ratchet.

AgeEighty · May 3, 2024

mute said:
I guess I was under the impression that the G1 toys weren't licensed because someone thought they could get away with it, not because the toys were dissimilar to real vehicles. I'm not sure they could just sell G1 Jazz/Sideswipe/etc. today without talking to those companies first, but I imagine in the decades since it has had to come up, when actually licensing more recent toys.

Not to mention all Jazz' racing livery. Even if they stuck with the old altered names of things, laws are different now and I don't think they could get away with "MARTINII" and the like. So they'd either have to license all that too, or do a clean/anime version that isn't really as much like the G1 toy.

Mindwipe · May 3, 2024

AgeEighty said:
Not to mention all Jazz' racing livery. Even if they stuck with the old altered names of things, laws are different now and I don't think they could get away with "MARTINII" and the like. So they'd either have to license all that too, or do a clean/anime version that isn't really as much like the G1 toy.

Jazz was reissued in 2002, 2003 and 2004 (and wasn't licensed), and there haven't been any substantive legal changes since then.

(Notably they did change the "Martinii" stickers to read "Agent Meister" on those reissues.)

Seems unlikely there would be a rights blocker, but they might not want to risk the upset.

AgeEighty · May 3, 2024

Mindwipe said:
Jazz was reissued in 2002, 2003 and 2004 (and wasn't licensed), and there haven't been any substantive legal changes since then.

(Notably they did change the "Martinii" stickers to read "Agent Meister" on those reissues.)

Seems unlikely there would be a rights blocker, but they might not want to risk the upset.

Yeah, I mean they could do that too. Kind of a shame when they have to change the original deco that much, but what can you do.

mrmoose · May 3, 2024

Found this article about transformers and car licensing (I actually hadn't realized that the RID cars were partially remolded for US release, because I had imported them before the show came out here):

Problems in Disguise: The Weird History of Licensed (and Unlicensed) Cars in Transformers

by Fear or Courage This is a Volkswagon Beetle. Even if you’re not a car person (and I’m certainly not), you probably know it, because it’s one of the most recognizable cars ever.

tfwikicommunity.wordpress.com

His theory is that it's hard to pursue legal action on older toys because they can't pass the recognition test, but I was thinking more along the lines of "if they didn't object the first time, they can't object to the same mold" or something like that, which would rule out a significant remold/reimagining like Missing Link. I guess we'll see.

Keldroc · May 3, 2024

MikeProtagonist said:
G1 Jazz has been re-released, so there might not be the same issues as with a Masterpiece.

There wouldn't be, is what I'm saying. Jazz has been reissued numerous times and there has never been an issue with Porsche. If there had been, they wouldn't have been on board for RotB. The only thing that would prevent a Missing Link Jazz is Takara not wanting to do it for some reason.

mrmoose · May 3, 2024

Keldroc said:
There wouldn't be, is what I'm saying. Jazz has been reissued numerous times and there has never been an issue with Porsche. If there had been, they wouldn't have been on board for RotB. The only thing that would prevent a Missing Link Jazz is Takara not wanting to do it for some reason.

Why no Masterpiece Jazz then? Still seems like a gaping hole though maybe it's not interesting enough for the engineers or something?

Keldroc · May 3, 2024

mrmoose said:
Why no Masterpiece Jazz then? Still seems like a gaping hole though maybe it's not interesting enough for the engineers or something?

Who knows? Porsche not into licensing older cars they don't make money on anymore? Waiting until the realignment of the MP line into MPG after Ginrai? Just no interest on Takara's part for some reason? Could be anything.

Mindwipe · May 3, 2024

mrmoose said:
Why no Masterpiece Jazz then? Still seems like a gaping hole though maybe it's not interesting enough for the engineers or something?

We know that Takara prototyped a Binaltech Jazz and couldn't reach a deal with Porsche to release it. So it's clear in some circumstances there is a need to do it, especially with brand new toys. We just don't know what Takara's lawyers would make of a toy where all the car bits were from 1982 and the robot bits were from today.

Keldroc · May 3, 2024

Mindwipe said:
We know that Takara prototyped a Binaltech Jazz and couldn't reach a deal with Porsche to release it. So it's clear in some circumstances there is a need to do it, especially with brand new toys. We just don't know what Takara's lawyers would make of a toy where all the car bits were from 1982 and the robot bits were from today.

This was because Binaltech was specifically all licensed real vehicles as the point/gimmick of the subline. They were reissuing G1 Jazz around the same time, no license required.

DarkOxygen · May 6, 2024

For the other Canadians here, what online retailers besides Ages Three & Up do you generally order from to minimize customs charges? I've basically sworn off TFSource, has anyone had good experiences with The Chosen Prime or Big Bad Toy Store?

For reference, this is for the reissue of Fans Hobby MB-11 (God Bomber), which only some retailers have listings for at the moment.

mute · May 7, 2024

I didn't realize this was how the belt emblems worked for each turtle and now I want one.

Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-Turtles-x-Transformers-Party-Wallop-30.jpg

Billfisto · May 7, 2024

mute said:
I didn't realize this was how the belt emblems worked for each turtle and now I want one.

Hnnng. This thing seems to be doing everything right.

Looks like he may have too many fingers, though.

DarkOxygen · May 8, 2024

Looks like I'm going to be paying a bunch of money for another IDW Rodimus soon

Shizuoka Hobby Show 2024 – Project T-Spark Adamas Machina AMT-01 Rodimus Prototype

The recently revealed new hi-end Adamas Machine AMT-01 Rodimus is also on exhibit at the Shizuoka Hobby Show 2024 event in Japan. We have our first look at this new hi-end transformable figure which is a collaboration with Flame Toys. Rodimus design is based in the Flame Toys Kuro Kara Kuri...

news.tfw2005.com

Cow Mengde · May 8, 2024

mute said:
I didn't realize this was how the belt emblems worked for each turtle and now I want one.

That's really clever.

Keldroc · May 8, 2024

DarkOxygen said:
Looks like I'm going to be paying a bunch of money for another IDW Rodimus soon

Shizuoka Hobby Show 2024 – Project T-Spark Adamas Machina AMT-01 Rodimus Prototype

The recently revealed new hi-end Adamas Machine AMT-01 Rodimus is also on exhibit at the Shizuoka Hobby Show 2024 event in Japan. We have our first look at this new hi-end transformable figure which is a collaboration with Flame Toys. Rodimus design is based in the Flame Toys Kuro Kara Kuri...

news.tfw2005.com

Word is that's going to be around $800. Easy pass for Rodimus for me, but Call of the Primitives Predaking might get me if they do it up right.

DarkOxygen · May 8, 2024

Keldroc said:
Word is that's going to be around $800. Easy pass for Rodimus for me, but Call of the Primitives Predaking might get me if they do it up right.

Yeah $800 (presumably USD, so over $1k Canadian) is an immediate pass for me as well. My MMC Calidus will do just fine.

RyanPrime_ · May 8, 2024

Keldroc said:
Word is that's going to be around $800. Easy pass for Rodimus for me, but Call of the Primitives Predaking might get me if they do it up right.

$800 is pulled right from people's ass

Keldroc · May 8, 2024

RyanPrime_ said:
$800 is pulled right from people's ass

I expect those asses will be pretty accurate given the size, materials, design, and fact that it transforms.

PaulloDEC · May 9, 2024

I've just started reading the IDW "More Than Meets the Eye" comic run over the last week or so. Very much a Transformers casual (watched the cartoon as a kid, played the Cybertron games, seen a handful of the films) so many characters are unknown to me, but I'm loving the artwork and finding the dialogue to be sharp and fun.

Creating my own upscaled "remasters" as I go due to the very low-res nature of the ebook copies I have on Humble. Fortunately the art is well suited to upscaling and looks much better on my tablet this way.

mrmoose · May 9, 2024

Are the ones from the humble bundle that low-res? Maybe i just never noticed (or more likely never read through my backlog when I bought it)

PaulloDEC · May 11, 2024

mrmoose said:
Are the ones from the humble bundle that low-res? Maybe i just never noticed (or more likely never read through my backlog when I bought it)

Not all of them, and they're not unreadably low-res; they vary by format, but we're talking somewhere in the region of pages 2000 pixels tall. Doesn't sound too bad on paper, but on on my 1080p tablet the text looked quite soft and wasn't terribly nice on the eyes.

Upscaled to about 6000 px high and then scaled back down to around 4000 px high, they look lovely and crisp on my tab without any obvious AI upscaling artifacts.

mute · May 12, 2024

I'm combining Raiden for the first time finally and I"m finding it really hard to fight back the intrusive thoughts.

On the upside, all the extra mass Kaen has around the caboose (pun intended) just kinda flows well into Shouki's legs/Raiden's backpack, which makes it stand out less. But also it makes him really back heavy and without having put the arms on yet I'm not sure how well he will be able to stand without a really heavy gun/sword to counter balance it. There is a reason so many pictures show him standing with one of the seeker base plate stands.

Worst of all so far is Yukikaze as his left leg...the intended transformation has the leg sort of permanently bent at the knee. This, along with the lack of ankle mobility makes it even worse for the whole thing to stand up. It is theoretically possible for the leg to be straight, but then it becomes almost impossible for the plates on the sides of the legs to tab in/stay together. Will work on the arms later tonight.

Edit: Arms are great, those are the best.

Edit2: Got Gears in the mail. He is amazing. Minibots all great. Still wish I had a Beachcomber.

Billfisto · May 14, 2024

Oh man, I need that Toy Optimus Legacy figure.

mute · May 14, 2024

Totally called that 86 penny racer bee.

Looks like it doesn't parts form anymore so that is a huge improvement.

Not much else I'm interested in. Some head scratchers for sure.

mrmoose · May 14, 2024

These bastards are going to redeco/remold Metalhawk already? And the same Armada Megatron that is at every Target around me?

Leader Soundwave with three cassettes, penny racer Bee and toy-legacy Optimus look great though. But how many times can you sell the same toys to the same audience? Apparently endlessly.

"If you enjoy the thrill of the hunt." Please no.

Transformers |OT| Transform and Roll Out!

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